Air pump



C. E. TU SSEY Aug. 16, 1966 AIR PUMP 2 Sheets-Shaml 1 Filed May 31, i960 INVENTOR. CHESTER E. TUSSEY mf AT TORNE VS C. E. TUSSEY Aug. 16, 1966 AIR PUMP Filed May 5l, 1960 INVENTOR. CHESTER E. TUSSEY BY/J;

A r TOR/v5 ys r 3,266,716 Ice Patented August 16, 1966 3,266,716 AIR PUMP Chester E. Tussey, 411B S. Lincoln Ave., Monterey Park, Calif. Filed May 31, 1960, Ser. No. 32,917 Claims. (Cl. 230-55) This invention has to do with improvements in pump actuating devices, particularly of the type that include an electromagnet and an armature operable at rather high frequency to actuate a pumping unit adapted to discharge relatively small quantities of iluid, such as air. The invention is primarily concerned with actuatin-g devices for pumps supplying air to aquariums, and may be considered hereinafter in that adaptation, with the understanding that the invention may be used `for various other purposes requiring the -pumping displacement of iiuids, particularly -air or other gases.

In the operation of certain known aquarium aeration pumps, it is found that the devices tend to chatter and vibrate undesirably .and audibly. Chattering is typically the result of overloading of the pump causing the armature of the pump .actuating device to strike against the electromagnet. Such overloading may be inadvertently caused by too tight closing of the discharge air line leading to the tank, when the operator desires to reduce the air flow. Also, undamped vibration is generally transmitted to the :pump casing or housing, and it may frequently transmit the vibration to a support such as a table, the vibration oftentimes becoming undesirably audible as humming.

The present invention has `as certain of its major objects the elimination yof armature chatter as described and audible vibration transmitted to or through the pump casing or housing. Also, it is another object of the invention to increase materially the quantity discharge or delivery of air from the pumping devi-ce as compared with previously known pumps of the same size.

In carrying out these objects'the invention contemplates the provision of a novel pump actuating device that includes an electromagnet, arm means including an armature operable by the electromagnet to transmit pump actuating movement, and means including a torsion element mounting the arm means for rotation in compliance with torsional restraint imposed by the element as the arm means tr-ansmits the -actuating movement. Typically, such movement is transmitted to the air pump diaphragm that cooperates with a valve assembly, toward and away from which the diaphragm is movable. In this respect, the arm means is mounted so that the armature moves away from the electromagnet as the pumping diaphragm is moved away from the valve means by the arm, and accordingly, during increased loading of the pump the armature is displaced away from the electromagnet, preventing chatter.

More specifically, the torsion element comprises a shaft, the ends of which are held against rotation by a carrier at laterally opposite sides of the arm means. Also, the carrier mounts and 'holds the pumping unit and electromagnet in spaced relation, and is itself suspended for r0- tation about an axis proxirnat-e and parallel to the torsion shaft axis. As will appear, this arrangement or combination is effective practically to eliminate vibration transmission to the case suspending the carrier, all for the purpose of preventing audible vibration from arising.

These and other features and objects of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description `of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the case broken away to show the enclosed pump unit and pump actuating device;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pumping unit, electromagnet, carrier, armature and torsion shaft;

FIG. 3 is an end View of the FIG. 2 combination;

FIG. 4 is a view looking into the casing showing the manner in which the carrier is suspended; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

In the drawings, the lchamber of casing 10 is shown to include a cylindrical shell 11 having opposite closed ends 12, one of which contains an outlet 13 for an electric cord 14, and the other of which contains an air outlet fitting 15. The latter will be understood as being connectible to an air line 16, the pump discharge flow of air line 16, the pump discharge flow of air passing to a iish tank through a manually operable, air delivery control valve 17 in line 16.

Within the chamber 10 is an electromagnet 18 which comprises a core 19 having an E-shape in cross section as shown in FIG. l. The electromagnet includes a center pole 20 and a side pole 21, with a solenoid winding 22 wrapped around the center pole and connected with the leads or cord wires 14. A carrier generally indicated at 23 within the chamber has an extension mounting an electromagnet support bracket 2S, which is in turn held clamped between the extension 24 and the electromagnet base, as by the bracket 26 attached to the electromagnet, the screw 27 carried by the bracket 26 and the nut 28 threaded on the screw. As is clear Ifrom FIG. 1, the nut bears against the underside of the extension exerting downward pull on the screw 27 and the bracket 26 so as to clamp the bracket 25 Abetween the extension 24 and the electromagnet base, thereby positioning the electromagnet with reference to armature 30.

The armature which is in the form of the longitudinally elongated arm illustrated, has a portion 31 which extends proximate and opposite the electromagnet face 32 so as to be magnetically attracted and repelled thereby. The opposite end portion 33 of the armature carries a spacer 34 to which the central extent 35 of a pumping diaphragm 36 is integrally attached as by the pin 37. The intermediate extent of the armature or arm 30 is attached by means of a bolt 38, nut 39 and washer 41 to a torsion shaft generally indicated at 42. In particular, shaft 42 may be in the form of a rod extending laterally as seen in FIG. 2, having a central extent 43 curved about the bolt shank 38 `and held between the underside of the arm 30 and the washer 41 by the nut 39, this connection holding the arm 30 integrally attached to the torsion shaft.

The laterally opposite end portions 44 of the torsion shaft extend around the shanks of bolts 45 between the bolt heads and tabs 46 integral with and projecting laterally oppositely of the carrier 23. Accordingly, the armature or arm 30 is mounted for rapid rotary oscillation about the lateral axis of the torsion bar 42 and in compliance with the torsional restraint imposed during twisting of the bar 42 as the arm transmits actuating movement to the pumping diaphragm 36. In this connection, it will be understood that the arm 30 oscillates within a small angular path which is much less than degrees, say for example 5 degrees. Also, it will be observed that the armature is essentially balanced about .the lateral axis of the torsion bar 42, so as to promote armature vibration at near resonance conditions in response to 4alternating current energization of the electromagnet.

The pumping diaphragm 36 is seen in FIG. l to be' part of the pumping unit generally indicated at 48. The' latter includes a housing 49 receiving a valve assembly S0 which is clamped between annular ring 51 and the annular flange portion 52 of the pumping diaphragm. The latter flange is in turn held clamped against the valve assembly by a housing ring 53. The valve assembly 50, parts of which are similar to the valve disclosed in my U.S. Patent 2,707,074, comprises a body 54 containing an air inlet passage 55 opening at the underside of the body 54, and a discharge port 56 extending through the body from its bottom to top surfaces. kExtending about the body 54 is a valve diaphragm 57 which preferably comprises a rubber sheet or band overlapping the discharge end of the inlet port 55 and the discharge end of the port 56. Furthermore, the rubber Yband contains ports 58 and 59, the lirst being in registration with the port 56 at the underside of the body 54 and the second being offset from port 56 at the top side of the body.

Accordingly, it will be understood that as the pumping diaphragm 36 is drawn away from the valve assembly 50, valving diaphragm 57 is drawn away from the underface of the body 54 and air enters port 55 and passes through port 58 into the space 60 between the pumping diaphragm is moved toward the valve assembly by the armature, the valve diaphragm closes the port 55 and air is exhausted through ports 58, 56 and 59 into the air space 61 between the valve assembly and the upper extent of the housing 49. This air is then exhausted through housing discharge port 62, through la flexible tube 63 and to the tting and line 16 for delivery to the aquarium. It will be seen that the pumping diaphragm 36 has flexible annular extent 64, U-shaped in cross section, that projects away from the valve assembly and which accordingly leaves the arm 30 relatively free of constraint by the diaphragm for oscillation. Y

The pumping unit housing 49 is seen in FIG. 2 as having ears 66 attached by bolts 67 to carrier tabs 68. In this connection, the pumping unit 48 and the electromagnet are located at longitudinally opposite sides of a lateral axis 69 through the carrier tabs 46, the location of the pumping unit and electromagnet being such that the carrier is effectively balanced Weightwise about the axis 69 with the pump and electrom-agnet horizontally spaced apart.

The carrier is in turn suspended through the tabs 46 within the outer shell or housing 11 as will now be described, reference being had to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. As therein shown, the tabs 46 are seen to fit within rubber cusions 70 retained between upper and lower bracket extents 71 suitably attached as by integral molding to the case 11, with the brackets projecting inwardly and being located laterally oppositely and horizontally. Accordingly, the carrier is suspended for rotation about the axis 69 as accommodated by the yielding resistance imposed by the rubber cushions 70, the axis 69 being substantially parallel to land proximate to the axis of the torsion shaft 42. As a result, vibration set up by oscillation of the armature is substantially if not completely eliminated or cancelled by virtue of the freedom of the carrier to vibrate about the axis 69 in reaction to the armature vibration. Therefore, there is no substantial vibration transmitted to the outer case or housing 11 that can be effective to produce audible humming or other disturbance, and the housing is to all intents and purposes vibration free.

It should also be noted in this regard that the pumping unit is operable to deliver twice as much air for the same power input to the electromagnet and as compared with ordinary pumps of the same size. This accomplishment results from the balanced design and arrangement of the armature, the sizing of which is such as to cause the armature to vibrate with resonant or near resonant oscillation at twice the frequency of alternating current supplied to the electromagnet. Thus, the torsion bar and armature may comprise a system which will oscillate the pumping diaphragm 36 with suitable amplitude -at a frequency of 120 cycles per second, when the frequency of alternating diaphragm and the valving diaphragm. As the pumping I is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangementof parts herein described and shown.

I claim:

1. In a pump actuating device, an electromagnet, elongated arm means including an armature operable by the electromagnet. to transmit actuating movement, meansy including a torsion bar mounting said arm means for rotation about an axis in compliance with torsional constraint imposed by said bar yas the arm means transmits said actuating movement, said axis extending transversely with respect to said arm means, said arm means and bar having suciently integral connection Vas to rotate together, the torsion bar having at least two lixed end portions at opposite sides of said connection, a pump having a part to which said yactuating movement isk transmitted, said part and said electromagnet being disposed adjacent spaced portions of the arm means which project in generally opposite directions with respect to said axis so that the arm means is substantially balanced with respect thereto.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a carrier acting to hold said torsion bar against rotation at laterally opposite sides of the arm means and in spaced relation thereto, the carrier also supporting said pump and electro-- magnet, and means suspending the carrier for rotation about a second lateral axis and to cushion said carrier rotation.

3. The combination of claim 2, in which said means suspending the carrier includes elastomer bodies supporting the carrier at laterally opposite sides of said arm means.

4. The combination of claim 1, in which said pump includes a chamber supported by said carrier, said part comprises a pumping diaphragm to which oscillation is transmitted, and valve means in the chamber having air inlet and outlet ports through which air is passed in response to oscillation of said pumping diaprhragm.

5. The combination of claim 4, in which the pumping diaphragm has central extent movable in integral relation with the arm means, and has flexible annular extent projecting away from the valve means so as to leave said arm means relatively free for oscillation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 862,867 8/1907 Eggleston 230-170 X 2,429,441 10/ 1947 Williams 230-55 2,587,246 2/ 1952 Touborg 230-58 2,685,838 8/1954 Weinfurt 103-53 X 2,707,074 4/ 1955 Tussey 230-55 2,764,947 10/ 1956 Germann 103-53 2,829,601 4/ 1958 Weinfurt et al. 103-53 2,895,026 7/1959 Rodgers et al. 267-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,067,560 10/ 1959 Germany.

ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. LAURENCE V. EFNER, Examiner. JOSEPH H. BRANSON, IR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PUMP ACTUATING DEVICE, AN ELECTROMAGNET, ELONGATED ARM MEANS INCLUDING AN ARMATURE OPERABLE BY THE ELECTROMAGNET TO TRANSMIT ACTUATING MOVEMENT, MEANS INCLUDING A TORSION BAR MOUNTING SAID ARM MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS IN COMPLIANCE WITH TORSIONAL CONSTRAINT IMPOSED BY SAID BAR AS THE ARM MEANS TRANSMITS SAID ACTUATING MOVEMENT, SAID AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY WITH RESPECT TO SAID ARM MEANS, SAID ARM MEANS AND BAR HAVING SUFFICIENTLY INTEGRAL CONNECTION AS TO ROTATE TOGETHER, THE TORSION BAR HAVING AT LEAST TWO FIXED END PORTIONS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CONNECTION, A PUMP HAVING A PART TO WHICH SAID ACTUATING MOVEMENT IS TRANSMITTED, 